Seven Minute's Passion (Only 7!)
by Naluistruelove1996
Summary: Get ready for Seven Minutes in Heaven! It is Lucy's 18th birthday but she and Natsu are pushed into her own closet to do whatever they like. Just for 7 minutes! Once in, the two realise Lucy's wardrobe is a path to the legendary world of Seven Raid's Realm. Together they stumble on many surprises, especially a spark of love between them that soon erupts into a firework!
1. Silence & Blushing Recollections

The year was X792, date: 24th of June. So far the day has started off quite... How do you even word it? Peculiar. Yes, that's it. Everything was just odd, especially the atmosphere, in 17 year old Celestial Spirits wizard Lucy Heartfilia's opinion.

Because, for some unknown reason, the guild Fairy Tail happened to be very quiet and peaceful. She had not expected this at all.

If you'd known or been a member in Fairy Tail for a long time, you'd sense something was off. Because being calm, tranquil was just NOT the Fairy Tail Lucy knew and loved. OK, perhaps that's not entirely true. Lucy did sometimes wish that Fairy Tail can be settled from its occasional guild riot or Natsu and Gray's daily heated bickering but... But this was just too much.

Huddled over a large table in a corner were her fellow guild mates Natsu, Happy, Erza and Gray. Oh, not to mention little Wendy, Carla, Levy and Juvia. They whispered and passed notes, all in a hush. They didn't even notice when Lucy greeted them as she entered the guild this morning.

Everyone was just being so secretive and suspicious today it made her more irritable by the minute. It saddened her a little as well because they have not bothered letting her in on whatever they're taking about.

Lucy herself was seated at her usual spot by the bar with a glass of banana smoothie prepared earlier by Mirajane, becoming more and more disturbed by the quietness. She would've been screaming by now, had it not been for dear Mirajane who broke the silence between them both.

"So Lucy, I heard that on your last job, you were caught in an avalanche..." the beautiful white-haired S-class wizard began.

Lucy could remember that job _flawlessly_. It all happened a week ago. She had been bribed by Natsu and Happy to accept the job request with the promise of no trespassing into her room from the both of them, for a whole month. _Besides_, she'd told herself then, _what could go wrong_? Pfft! Boy, was she wrong.

The client, whose name she cannot recall, requested for her, Natsu and Happy to retrieve a rare plant called Anamosa Daisy that only grows in the extremely cold conditions of Mt. Hanaberry. On their way there, Natsu's flames got out of control and accidentally caused the summit to explode, thus she was caught in the avalanche and -

"Natsu searched for you in the snow like crazy. He wouldn't stop looking. You know, he just might be your Prince in Shining Armour!" Mirajane added, giggling.

Lucy jolted back to reality, her face pinched with a tinting of magenta pink. "I-It's not like that! Besides, I don't even like him that way!" she cried.

"Aw, c'mon..." Mirajane sighed dramatically, clearly enjoying Lucy's blushing reaction. "I heard the two of you were stranded in a frozen cave, while you were almost out cold by the chilling temperature. Natsu did everything in his strength to revive you to your senses like... Snaking his gentle, muscular arms around your waist and transferring his body heat to you in order to warm you up. And the night ended with the two of you sleeping close - and I mean, noses an inch away - next to each other while he cradled your head and you snored softly in his embrace. Almost like lovers!"

By now Lucy's entire face was flushing beet red with embarrassment. There's no mistake about it. Happy was the messenger who broke the news of the evening she spent in Natsu's arms to Mirajane. Well, now that Lucy thought about it, it wasn't as bad as anyone might think. He'd even loaned her the muffler Igneel gave him, wrapping it around her neck so that all she could smell was his scent. It had reminded her of wood fire and soot, even traces of cinnamon. Cinnamon? Oh, how adorable of him.

His sleeping face was all she had seen when she woke up first thing in the morning in that frozen cave. The migraine that had bothered her the night before had gone away, but her head started getting fuzzy for some reason. One thing Lucy learnt about Natsu was he mumbled in his slumber and his eyelids flickered as he relished in his dream.

There wasn't anything romantic about that, was there? Lucy feared that people might take this the wrong way, mistaking them for a couple in love. What he did was what a good friend ought to do: making sure that she didn't turn into a Popsicle by the time dawn broke.

He'd even scolded her for not telling him sooner that she was cold. Awww. Natsu was so cute when he was concerned... Hold on, **cute**? No he wasn't cute. Friends, team mates don't think that way. Lucy had blushed.

Well, you can't deny it. Natsu does look sort of cool and dreamy, especially during instances when he was so determined to avenge or protect her.

Watching Lucy getting lost in her own memories of those precious moments, Mirajane smiled. They were so sweet together! True, Natsu loved his guild mates with ferocious intensity and loyalty. Yet whenever he was around Lucy, the situation kind of changes. Mirajane began to wonder, perhaps there will be some sort of chemistry between these two. After all, the Fire Dragon Slayer seemed to be more at ease and comfort either in Lucy's house and in her presence.

For a long time, Mirajane acted as Fairy Tail's motherly figure and its head barmaid. Not to mention she had been also been providing assistance on relationships and sharing her advice on love to all that requested for it. Those who cried on her shoulder and partnered up with her to make their love life work, are now enjoying a successful blossoming romance.

Take Levy and Gajeel for example. Those two, how unlikely a couple they may be, will be celebrating their one year's anniversary this week. You can see it in the Iron Dragon Slayer's face; his adoring affections for the Solid Script mage were unmistakeable.

Then there's Gray and Juvia. Mirajane had tried her genuine hardest at getting those two together, she really did. Eventually Gray fell into Juvia's romantic clutches and now the pair are inseparable.

And last but never least, Jellal was able to pucker up the courage and confess his undying love for Erza. Much to everyone's happiness and congratulations, they are engaged to be married in December.

Finally, the only two people left who had not discovered THEIR true feelings for each other was Natsu and Lucy. Unfortunately, dense as these two were, they are completely oblivious about the concept of love. Everyone else in the guild could see they were soul mates brought by fate.

So as she stood there, Mirajane decided. She was determined, by all means, to witness Natsu and Lucy falling head over heels in love while there is still breath in her body.

And _nothing_ is going to stop these two from ever, EVER, getting together.


	2. A Bet & A Dream, Doesn't Mean Anything!

***LATER THAT EVENING…*:**

"Ah… This feels so good!"

Lucy stretched her arms high above her forehead, beaming contentedly, while she enjoyed one of her routinely evening baths. She had even added a few drops – eh, maybe four or five – of the 'super-duper special' fragrant oil her best friend Levy loaned her the other day. It worked miracles! Every so often, Lucy would take one whiff, breathed in another smell, of her hand.

"Now _this_ is my idea of paradise…" Lucy sighed dreamily, plopping her head under water.

~**XXX**~

After she had climbed into bed, turned off her lamp light, settled down and was on the verge of falling asleep, Lucy processed everything that had happened today: Natsu and the rest ignored her when she was at the guild; Mirajane discussed his heroism when he "brought her back to life" and pestered Lucy with the most insane suggestion in the world:

_"Wouldn't that be wonderful, Lucy?" Mirajane smiled at the blonde Celestial Spirits wizard before Lucy left the guild, having had enough with everyone at Fairy Tail including Mirajane herself. "You and Natsu dating, getting married, and then having children... The brand new generation of Fairy Tail, conceived by the legendary lovers, Natsu Dragneel and Lucy Heartfilia!" _

_In spite of herself, Lucy blushed to the tips of her ears._

"Goodness, that Mirajane!" Lucy now scoffed still embarrassed. "She should really stop getting over her head with such silly ideas."

Of course, Lucy knew that Mirajane was one heck of a crazy – yet totally gorgeous – match-making woman but who would've thought she was ever _this_ crazy? She had just exceeded Lucy's opinion of maximum imaginable level of craziness!

Lucy recalled a bet that she and the S-Class wizard made a while ago where they predicted the possibility of four particular female members in Fairy Tail getting together – like, together _together_ – with the following list of their likely soul mate:

1. **Erza Scarlet** and **Jellal Fernandes**

2. **Juvia Lockser** and **Gray Fullbuster**

3. **Levy McGarden** and **Gajeel Redfox**

4. **Lucy Heartfilia** and **Natsu Dragneel**

***FLASHBACK*:**

_Lucy protested against the inclusion of her name but Mirajane just looked at her with adorable turquoise puppy eyes and pleaded, "Aw, Lucy! This'll be fun! Who knows, maybe –?"_

"_No, this will _not_ be fun," Lucy told her firmly. "Stop thinking we're in love, Miss Mira, because we're not. Even if we were, everything will just end up in tears!" _

_"But, seriously, the two of you are voted the '__**#1 Most Popular Pair That Has Not Gotten Together… YET!**__' in the guild..." _

What even is that? _Lucy muttered under her breath. _

_"... Everyone is rooting for you both, even Master Makarov himself." _

_Reddening, Lucy backed down. She sighed and agreed in a tired voice: "Alright, I'll do it…"_

_The sweet Mirajane cheered in joy, leaning over the bar counter to cuddle Lucy in both gratification and happiness. When she released her, Lucy had a serious look on her face. She looked so intimidating that Mirajane thought it was actually Erza she was speaking to, not Lucy. It sent shivers up her spine for a second._

"_But." Lucy pointed a finger in the air. "If I win, there's going to be a catch."_

_Initially surprised but then changing it into a gleeful, cocky smirk, Mirajane complied. _

"_Alright," she said. "Try me."_

_For all that didn't know, there was never any actual point trying to go against the drawing card of Fairy Tail: __**The Demon**__ Mirajane Strauss. You'll only end up losing pitifully. Despite that, both women were getting super revved up for this. _

_For Mira, she was eager because she'd always hoped to catch a glimpse of her fellow guild mates 'finally find each other' and then proceed to falling in love. Perhaps even get married and raise kids. Who knows what they might look like? Maybe they'll inherit both their parents' most distinctive features, even their personalities! _

_On the other hand, all Lucy wanted to do was to beat Mirajane in something. Not a match or anything big like that, though perhaps a small competition would be sane enough. She might even gain a new reputation within Fiore, for surpassing one of the most fearful mages in Fairy Tail in only a stupid little game. _

_Besides, Lucy was 100% confident the triumph will be hers because firstly, her and Natsu's relationship was nothing like the one Mirajane imagined and secondly, based on that fact, the two of them acting all affectionate and lovey-dovey with each other just feels impossible. Like, it is never going to happen. _

This will be fun indeed_, Lucy thought to herself devilishly. _

_So she held out her hand, grinning in a light-hearted mischief. Mirajane own lips curved upwards; she slapped and gripped Lucy's hand in agreement. "I wager all four of you!" she announced, banging the wooden table twice in passion. "Ha-ha! Can you imagine it, Natsu in love…? It's even funnier just thinking about it!" _

"_Well for your information, Miss Mira, I highly doubt Natsu has a single romantic thought in his head," Lucy reminded her. "I mean, c'mon. He is, like, the densest guy I've ever met."_

_Of course, what Lucy said was true. Mirajane couldn't argue or agree more. When was the last time anyone ever saw Natsu displaying or even envisioning perversities when seeing women in bikinis and skimpy clothes? It's highly likely because the only stuff he only ever concentrates on was either protecting his beloved 'family', or fighting Gray, or searching for his foster father Igneel._

_All the while Mirajane believed in Natsu. It wasn't her, everyone did. Including Lucy herself. Mirajane knew that, somehow, he will learn to fall in love with Lucy as soon as he develops a little maturity in the future. But she decided not say any more. She had said enough. It is up to Lucy to see for herself, and believe in her own feelings. _

"_I call the top three," said Lucy, taking a sip of water. "I promise you, Miss Mira, that there is NO way I will ever, ever, make a fool of myself falling for that dense, pink haired, flame-throwing Fire Dragon Slayer by the name of Natsu Dragn–"_

"_Did someone just say my name?" a familiar voice piped up. Lucy spun around on her chair and, in her shock, saw the approaching figure of Natsu who was innocently scratching the back of his head in confusion. Happy was perched on his shoulder, taking everything around him in. _

_The Take-Over wizard squeaked in joy, fangirling on what was going to happen next. Rolling her eyes, Lucy scrunched her face up and suddenly locked eye contact with Natsu, who was more puzzled than ever. _

_"Did you call me, Lucy?" he questioned her. _

_Happy caught on fast. "She liiikes you...!" he mocked them, rolling his tongue. This time, both Natsu and Lucy brushed it off. _

_Anxious at not knowing what to do, she tried, "O-Oh it's nothing. Miss Mira and I were just talking..." She literally started to feel the speed of her heart pounding increasing, her cheeks going in flames. _

What was happening now, sheesh?! _she cursed herself. _

_"About...?" he pushed. _

_Lucy secretly prayed that he would go away. She hoped that out of all things, he wouldn't see or know anything about the bet! How mortifying, how embarrassing! She desperately wanted to dig a hole and bury herself, to escape. Escape from Mirajane's persistent cheerful look, from Happy's ludicrous sneering. And especially from _**him**_! Lucy feared that if she didn't get away quick, she was going to burst like an overinflated balloon and –_

_"Guess what, Natsu!" Mirajane chipped in. "Lucy was just commenting on how great you were when you fought against Viscount Gal Piercer from the Dark Guild, _Abyssal Grunts_. She said she was super impressed by your ultra good looks and –"_

_"I did not!" But Lucy was ignored. _

_Natsu urged for Mirajane to continue. _

_"Anyways, forget about that, now that we were so rudely interrupted," Mirajane continued, eyeing Lucy in a threatening manner as though demanding for her to keep quiet. "As you know Lucy and I just gambled on a bet we created. We are predicting the likelihood of the four most popular and shippable female members in Fairy Tail becoming an item with their expected male life partner who may or may not be a member of this guild –"_

_"Who are they?" _

_"Why, Erza, Jellal, Juvia, Gray, Levy and Gajeel of course!" Mirajane smiled delightedly. "And you and Lucy!" _

_"What, me? Paired with Lucy?" Natsu appeared to be quite astounded but didn't look as though he disliked the idea. _

_His eyebrows knitted and not flinching or responding with any visible reactions, he gazed down at the Celestial Spirits wizard who was doing her best to hide behind a curtain of golden yellow hair. Truth be told, he was much taken aback to learn of this. But he didn't feel any annoyance about it either since it seemed pretty interesting though Natsu thought that if it could be anything else, he'd rather it be a game of chance on whoever's going to win a punch-up between him and Gray. _

_Nevertheless he was indeed sure that everyone knew Lucy and him were just partners. Then why the hell was Mira suddenly talking to him about getting himself involved with Lucy? _

_Not just ordinarily involved. _**Romantically**_ involved? _

What's even the point?_ he wondered. Wasn't a healthy friendship enough for the both of them? They were companions, team mates already, so why are these people – Fairy Tail, of course. Who else? – expecting them two to take their relationship to a whole new level? _

_Could that mean love, marriage? With Lucy, who was a comrade to him and nothing else? That aside, what _is**_ love_**_,_ really_? Is it something you can touch, feel or even eat?_

_"Of course!" Mirajane said it as though it was the most stupid question ever asked. "Natsu... Don't tell me you've never considered wanting to be more than just friends with Lucy?"_

_"Well it's not that," he repaired. "I just don't think Lucy is keen… Are you, Lucy?" Those black slanted eyes of his were fixed on her, expecting an answer. Speechless, Lucy didn't even know for herself whether she truly wanted to participate in it. Her only desire was to beat Mirajane, just for once, so she can prove that her ridiculous hypothesises about her bond with Natsu were dead-set wrong. _

_That is all. Nothing else._

_Confirming his inquiry with a nod of her head, she also tried for a small smile, hoping that he might also take part in it alongside her so she needn't feel too awkward. Natsu heaved a long sigh, folded his arms across his toned bare chest, and made his choice. _

"_Well if Lucy wants me to join, I'll do it. Alright Mira, count me in..." _

The truth was, the bet was actually Mirajane's top secret ploy whose main goal was to get the four brainless, foolish couples together. And Natsu and Lucy have fallen into her trap by approving to partake in it, which was exactly what she needed. Natsu had chosen the first three on the list, with the exclusion of himself and Lucy, much to her delight. She also remembered feeling a little disappointment stirring inside her stomach but she had decided not to pay any attention to it.

Unbeknownst to Lucy, two weeks before when she opted to stay home to complete a chapter of her recently thought up novel, Mirajane ushered for Natsu to come over to where she was always standing, at the bar.

"Natsu," she began. "Do you remember the bet Lucy, you and I made three months ago?"

Seeing the blankness of his face, she went on: "You know, the one where we –"

"Oh that!" Natsu exclaimed, thumping his fist into the palm of his hand. "Yeah Mira, what about it?"

Her face secretive, poignant, thrilled and earnest all at the same time, she said, "Come closer and I'll tell you…" and leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

"A birthday surprise?" Natsu asked in astonishment, pulling away. "For _that person_?"

Mirajane smiled with a nod of her head. "If it isn't too much trouble, I would greatly appreciate it if you and a few others in the guild contribute all your efforts into making the best of this big event. Please? I really want this to be a night to remember, not just for us, but for _that_ _person_ as well…"

~**XXX**~

Soon Lucy's eyelids started to droop and before she knew it, she was fast asleep and embarking into a wondrous dream.

_All cute and breath-takingly gorgeous in a silk sleeveless dress embroidered with floral designs she bought last week, Lucy is trying to make her way as quick as possible through the crowd of moving people in the streets of Cypress Avenue, not too far from her apartment in Strawberry Street. What reason may it be for Lucy to dress so beautifully on this particular evening? _

_Why, because today is one of the most special dates on Magnolia's calendar, especially for lovers and couples near and far. An event that dedicates to celebrating Love and rolls around once a year, it is known to many as '_**The Pantomiming Crimson Sakura**'.

_Legend has it that a long, long time ago, a nobleman suddenly decided to marry off his beautiful daughter to the wealthiest man in the kingdom. The beau selected by the father was, in actuality, an extremely fearsome monster who secretly wanted revenge on the girl since she resembled too much like his former lover. _

_The girl could not disobey but before she left, she notified the boy she was in love with of her new husband's identity in the hope that he might defeat him. Knowing that it was the blooming season for the 36 white cherry blossom trees that grew on one side of the road to the demon's residence, she would stop once every hour for four hours throughout her journey to squeeze a drop of blood onto the bark of one of the trees. _

_The blood dyed the cherry blossoms, where the colour gradually darkened from one tree to the next. The hero followed this pattern, reached the home of the monster and eventually slew him in a confronting battle. Then he went off, in search for the whereabouts of his true love; when he couldn't find her, he grieved his loss in a magnificent forest of pink cherry blossoms. _

_Just then, he realised that the wind blew in a strange way. Gasping in shock, the young man could only watch as the girl of his dreams appeared in front of his eyes, while the Sakura petals twirled and skipping daintily in the gentle breeze like ballet dancers. There the lovers reunited, finally able to confess their feelings for one another. _

_They ultimately got married, lived happily ever after and it was even said that at the moment of their final breaths, all the Sakura blossoms in the kingdom became tinted in different hues of pink and crimson. _

_The kingdom referred to in the myth is really Magnolia itself. And the cherry blossoms here truly are an amazing sight: it bloomed in shades of pink and scarlet in the spring, and only on Flower Viewing Festival did it flourish petals in every colours of the rainbow. Hence they were named __**Rainbow Sakura**__. _

_Everyone watches her as she tries to dodge past your everyday kissing boyfriend and girlfriend duo. She seems to become the centre of attention as she stands there in the midst of all the action, panting for breath, the only one without a partner. Tears start to well up in her coffee brown eyes but she refuses to break down; not here, not now, not with everybody all eyeing her intently. _

_Out of the blue, she hears her name being called. She looks from left to right, searching desperately for the source of the voice. At last she sees him. She gasps in shock. He looks absolutely hot and to die for, in his slim formal black trousers, matching suit jacket, scruffy tie and crisp white shirt. He in turn is struck dumb by her excessive charm and prettiness. _

_He flashes a toothy grin at her, one that will make all the girls swoon and fall at his feet. Both hearts beat fast, colour flashes on their cheeks. She doesn't know what to do: run or allow to be hypnotised by his seductive smile and stunningly beautiful looks? Catching her gently by her small delicate hands, she stands like a stunned mullet as she watches him plant a soft kiss onto it before suddenly hesitating. _

_Inhaling, he has recognised the scent. It is definitely something he is very fond of. Cinnamon, plus a hint of red velvet and traces of vanilla crème. She is delighted. _He noticed!_ she ecstatically cheers. Unable to contain himself, he grabs her by the wrist and is dragging her through the thick crowd of people. He pins her against the wall in a secluded location where all she can see is blackness and shadows and... The twinkling stars in the sky. _

_The luminescent glow of the full moon shines on them both. He takes in her angelic beauty, her shoulder-length blonde hair like strands of the finest gold, her perfect womanly curves as well as her large soft breasts. They have taken his breath away. _She _has taken his breath away. He cannot resist her. All he wants is her. Nothing but her. No one can ever take her away from him. They are meant to be. God planned them to be together. _

_In other words: _**destined, eternal lovers**_. _

_His eyes are filled with much lust and yearning. Yearning for whom, for what? Her, perhaps. Inclining forward, he begins to skim his lips along the line of her bare shoulders, simultaneously enjoying the taste of her soft smooth skin and her reaction to every tiny touch. They're making her breath hitch, her tremble uncontrollably. _

_She wishes this moment will never end. Her eyes close as if in prayer. He stops unexpectedly… What of that? Before she can ask what's wrong, he wraps his white scale-patterned muffler around her neck, pulls her in closer and… Closer… And then he is kissing her. _

_Emotions and thoughts circle her head like a ravenous hawk. Her heart is racing at 1 million beats per seconds. The girl is in shock. Dumbfounded. Her very first kiss. By a guy she may very well be falling hard for. Oh, the sensation! Butterflies flutter uncontrollably inside her, and her palms feel damp but she doesn't care. _

_Ever since she was old enough to dream of her own Prince Charming, Lucy had always pictured herself being kissed by someone famous, someone who everyone can sit back and envy. She had never imagined scale-patterned scarves, dragons and flames or even spiky rose-pink locks. But she is not complaining. Seriously she is not. _

_Because it is the simplest thing to do, she kisses him back. Nothing exists at all for them both, as though they are the last people in the world. After ten minutes they finally manage to pull away, breathless. It is now that she can see him closely, properly, in the moonlight. _

_He, Natsu, just gives her the softest smile she has ever seen in her life_

_One meant just for her. _

As she slept on, all Lucy can feel were her insides melting like smooth rich milk chocolate and her head rising above the clouds.


End file.
